Narrow fabrics

ABSTRACT

A narrow fabric comprises a plurality of warp knitted wales, at least some of which are interconnected transversely to form a closed chain. The fabric can be used for shoe-laces.

United States Patent [191 Foulquies et a1.

[11] 3,859,825 [451 Jan, 14, 1975 NARROW FABRICS Inventors: Bernard Marie Foulquies; Reginald Ernest Capell; Brian Crookes, all of Shepshed, England Assignee: Parema Limited, Liecester, England Filed: July 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 381,488

Foreign Application Priority Data July 29, 1972 Great Britain 35599/72 us. or. ..L 66/192 Int. Cl D04b 23/08 Field of Search 66/190-195,

References Cited] UNITED STATES PATENTS Stowe 66/192 Stowe 66/192 Bradshaw 66/195 Gross et al 66/193 Cooper et al. 66/195 Skrepek et al 66/195 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor and Hinds ABSTRACT A narrow fabric comprises a plurality of warp knitted wales, at least some of which are interconnected transversely to form a closed chain. The fabric can be used for shoe-laces.

ill

31 Claims, 28 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANWBYS 3,859.825

" SHEET 10F 6 PA'IENTEIIJAIII4IBYB 3,859,825

SHEET 2 BF 6 FIG IC FIG ID FIG IE FIGBC FIG 3D Fla-3E JAN] 4197 PATEMEU 5 3 859 825 SHEET 3 BF 6 PATENTEU JAN 1 4 1975 SHEET u [If 6 FIG 4C FIG 5c"- NARROW FABRICS The invention relates to narrow fabrics useful, for example as cords, tapes and laces, and especially as shoelaces.

Shoe-laces are conventionally produced by a braiding process wherein bobbins of yarn are successively moved in a substantially circular path over and under one another. Such braiding processes only allow a machine to make one shoe-lace at a time at a low rate. Thus in practice numerous machines, much maintenance and supervision is required for a given out put of shoe-laces.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a shoe-lace or other narrow fabric which can be made by a knitting process employing basically only reciprocating knitting movements. The purpose of the invention is to provide also a method for making such shoe-laces or other narrow fabrics wherein a number of laces or fabrics can be formed at the-same time on the same machine.

The invention provides a lace of a narrow width of warp knitted fabric comprising a first wale, a second waleon one side of the first wale, a number offurther wales intermediate the first and second wale on the other side of the first wale.- The fabric Preferably comprises from 4 to wales. The first and second wale may be drawn together by an elastomeric yarn interconnecting the first and second wale or an elastic crimped thermoplastic filament yarn interconnecting the first and second wale. Suitably the first, second and further wales comprise elastic crimped thermoplastic filament threads interconnecting these wales. Preferably first, second and further wales comprise stitches knitted in a l X 1 pattern to interconnect these wales and the first, second and further wales comprise at least one inlaid yarn. The fabric may comprise warps extending aside the wales. The first and second wales may be connected to each other and to the further intermediate wales only to give a lace having a rounded section.

of wales having an inlaid weft yarn traversed across the wales, a second plurality of wales havingya further in laid weft yarn traversed across the second plurality of wales, a yarn interconnecting first adjacent wales at the side of the first and second plurality of wales and an elastomer yarn interconnecting further wales spaced from the wales on the side of the first and second plurality of wales to fold the first and second plurality together so as to form a flat, balanced lace. Preferably then the first and second plurality of wales comprise yarns of equal thickness formed in a l X 1 pattern to provide three wales in each of the plurality of wales or the first and second plurality wales comprises yarns knitted in a 1 X 1 pattern to provide four wales in each of the plurality of wales, the wales being formed by yarns of equal thickness except the yarn interconnecting the adjacent wales at the side which has a reduced thickness compared with the other yarns. The invention can also provide a lace of a narrow width of warp knitted fabric comprising a plurality of wales having an inlaid weft yarn traversed across the wales and having an elastomer yarn interconnecting the wales at both sides of the plurality of wales.

One wale or a group of adjacent wales may have a greater bulk than an adjacent wale or adjacent groups of wales and the narrow fabric may have a rounded appearance. Preferably then all the wales of the narrow fabric are interconnected to form the closed chain.

Conveniently from three to seven wales may be present in the narrow fabric. Where all wales form the closed chain the bulk on one side of the chain may exceed that on the opposite side of the bulk of any intervening wales may form a gradual transition from the high bulk to the low bulk side.

In a second form of the invention the narrow fabric comprises two sets of wales flexibly connected for example by an intervening zone of low bulk and strength and includes a pair of wales, one of either set, knitted in part with an elastic yarn or thread which urges the pair of wales together. The narrow fabric in the second form of the invention has a flat, tape-like appearance. Preferably each set is balanced with respect to the other and each set comprises the same number of wales. The sets can be flexibly connected by knitting the facing pair of wales of the sets with a yarn having a reduced bulk compared with the remainder of each set or by arranging inlaid weft yarn in transversely spaced columns. Theelastic yarn or thread may be of rubber but is preferably an eleastomeric yarn having a fine denier such as for example 14-0 denier; The pair of wales interconnected by the elastic yarn are preferably positioned on, or 1 or 2 wales removed from the outside edge of each set so as to seal the two sets firmly together. The pair of wales interconnected on one side by the elastic yarn are preferably separated by less than 4 wales of the fabric on the other side.-

Preferably the warp knitted narrow fabric is predominantly of plain l X l warp loops but double 1 X l warp or tricot fabric can also be used. To give the narrow fabric additional body one or more straight wefts may be included. Also filling in threads, also called inlaid laps, may be present. The yarn is preferably generally bulked, textured or crimped and can have any quality but is generally of from to 200 to 1,000 denier. The

yarn may be of a man-made synthetic fibre such as.

polyamide, polyester or polyacrylonitrile. Preferably the bulk is varied as required by varying the number of yarns of the wales. To provide additional strength a gut thread can be placed inside the closed chain.

This invention also provides a method for producing a lace ofa narrow width fabric which comprises making a plurality of flat warp knitted fabrics, each comprising a plurality of interconnected wales at least one pair of which wales are spaced by one or more other wales, said pair being interconnected by an elongated yarn under tension and allowing the tensioned yarn to urgethe pair of wales together so as to urge the wales of the plurality of flat fabrics each into a closed chain ofwales to form a rounded or flat balanced lace. The method can be performed on crochet-type warp knitting machines such as those made by Kohler of Switzerland. Using such a machine a number of narrow fabrics can be knitted simultaneously.

The narrow fabrics and laces of the invention are strong and are ladder resistant due to the use of lock stitches. They can be tied into stable, strong knots. The

narrow fabrics can be produced in considerable quantity compared with the usual braiding machines and may contain gut threads.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a view of the inside of one type of narrow fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 2A is view of the inside of a second type of narrow fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 3A is a view of the inside of a third type of narrow fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 4A is a view of the inside of a fourth type of narrow fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 5A is a view of the inside of a fifth type of narrow fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 6A is a view of the inside of a sixth type of narrow fabric according .to the invention;

FIGS. 18 to 5B are transverse sections through the narrow fabrics of FIGS. 1A to 5A respectively;

FIGS. 1C, 1D, 1E; 3C, 3D, 3E; 4D, 4C, 5C, 5D and 6C, 6D and 6E are lapping diagrams for making the fabrics of FIGS. lAto 5A respectively;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are lapping diagrams of a sixth type of narrow fabric according to the invention; and

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a section of a knitting head of a warp knitting machine for making the narrow fabric of FIG. 5A.

With reference to FIGS. 1A to IE a narrow fabric comprises six wales W,, W,, W W W W which form aclosed chain W, and W being interconnected by a yarn not worked into any of the other wales. In FIG. 1A the narrow fabric is shown with this yarn extended to show the inside of the fabric. The structure of the fabric is further explained by the lapping diagrams 1C, 1D and 1E which show movement of a first warp bar, a second warp bar and a feeder for an inlaid yarn respectively. Feeds F to F of three ends of a doubled 78 denier ecru crimped nylon yarn are moved by guides on the first warp bar in a l X 1 pattern and feeds- F, and F are provided by warp bar at the selvedges of the fabric. The feeds F, and F comprise ofa single end of doubled 78 denier ecru crimped nylon yarn and serve to form a wale of interconnected superposed knitted loops at the selvedges. The feeder for the inlaid yarn F traverses to causes the yarn to reciprocate across W, to W,,. A feed F,, of one end of Lycra (Registered Trade Mark) S1083 yarn of 210 denier is traversed from W, to W and over W to W under a tension of from 30 to 46 grams as measured by a types TRL 3 tension meter made by Schmidt so that the feed F is extended as in FIG. 1A. When the fabric is pressed-off from the needles the feed F pulls it into the shape shown in FIG. 1B.

With reference to FIG. 2A and 2B a narrow fabric is the same as that shown in FIG. 1A except that a gut thread F,,, is laid in between the feeds making up W, to W and the feed F,, which interconnects W, and W,,. This can be done by feeding the gut thread to the needles at a position intermediate the first and second warp bars. The feed F,,, is show in dotted lines in FIG. 1D.

With reference to FIG. 3A to E, a narrow fabric comprises eight interconnected wales W, to W of which W W W W W and W, form a close chain and of which W, and W are connected to the other wales on one side only. The construction of the fabric is further explained by the lapping diagrams 3C, 3D and 3E which show the movement ofa first warp bar, a second warp bar and feeders for inlaid yarns respectively. Feeds F to F,, are moved in a l X l plain knit pattern by guides on the first warp bar and feeds F, and F,, are moved simultaneously to give a regular selvedge. The feeds F, to F and F,, to F consist of two ends of a crimped, ecru doubled 78 denier nylon yarn. The feed F consists of a single end of such a-yarn and forms a weakended, easily folded zone. A feed F,,, of a Lycra yarn (Type S1083 of 210 denier) is traversed by the second warp bar under a tension of from 44 to 46 grams as measured on the Schmidt tension meter over five needle spaces to connect wales W and W, whilst passing over wales W W W and W,,. The feed F,,, is traversed over the needle, thus shortening the length of the yarn knitted into the fabric and reducing the amount of yarn showing on the outside of the fabric. A pair of feed F,, and F,, are moved to traverse 4 needle spaces in the sets of wales W, to W, and W to W respectively, not affecting the weakened zone formed by the feed 5. As the fabric is pressed-off the feed F,,, causes the fabric to fold along the weakended zone until the wales W, to W and W, to W are face to face giving a balanced, flat lace.

With reference to FIG. 4A to D a narrow fabric comprises five interconnected wales W,, W W W and W which form a closed chain. The fabric structure is further explained by the lapping diagrams shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D. Feeds of crimped nylon yarn F,, F F and F are moved by guides in a l X 1 plain warp knit pattern. A feed F,, of a crimped nylon yarn also, is traversed over 4 needle spaces to connect the outer wales W, and W in successive courses crossing over all the intermediate wales W W and W.,. The feed F is kept under constant tension. The yarn of the feeds F, and F, consists of two component yarns of denier. The yarn of the feeds F and F consist of seven such component yarns. The yarn of the feed F consists of three such component yar'ns. The loops of two successive courses of the wale W will therefore comprise 14 component yarns, those of wales W and W will comprise 9 component yarns and those of W, and W will comprise 5 component yarns. The bulk of each of the wales W, to W will vary proportionately to the number of component yarns in the loops. Thus in the narrow fabric W and W will be urged upward from the bulk of W and W, and W will be pulled inward by the feed F to give the approximate shape shown in FIG. 4B. Optionally the fabric can be reinforced by an inlaid thread F,, and weft threads F and F,, to give the fabric a denser fabric structure. The narrow fabric can be used for shoe laces.

With reference to FIGS. 5A to D a narrow fabric comprises eight interconnected wales W, to W of which W W W W W and W form a closed chain and of which W, and W,, are connected to the other wales on one side only. The fabric is further explained by the lapping diagrams 5C and 5D. Feeds F to F, of crimped nylon yarn are moved in a l X 1 plain warp knit pattern. Feeds F, and F are provided to give a regular selvedge and are also of crimped nylon yarn. A feed F,,, of a thin elastomeric yarn is traversed under tension over five needle spaces to connect the wales W and W crossing over the intermediate wales W, to W,,. The yarn of F consists of two component yarns, whereas the feeds F, to F, and F to F,, consist of yarn having seven equally thick component yarns. Thus wales W and W are only loosely connected compared with the connection between the remaining adjacent wales. The elastomeric feed F thus causes the sets of wales W to W, and W to W to be folded double using the region occupied to by the feed F as a crease.-

The fabric is reinforced by inlaid threads F and F shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5D which traverse 4 needle spaces in the sets of wales W to W., and W to W respectively leaving the zone of the feed F unaffected. Weft or gut threads F to F are included shown dotted in FIG. 5D.

With reference to FIGS. 6A to 6E a narrow fabric comprises six wales W to W Wales W and W are interconnected directly by an elastomeric yarn not worked into any of the other wales. In FIG. 6A the fabric is shown folded open with this yarn extended. The structure of the fabric is further explained by the lap ping diagrams 6C, 6D and 6E which show movement of a first lower warp bar, a second upper warp bar and feeders for inlaid yarns respectively. Feeds F, to F are moved in a l X 1 pattern and feed F supplies the elastomeric yarn of lycra of 210 denier under a tension of from 44 to 46 grams. Feeds F and F form inlaid yarns extending across the wales W to W and W. to W respectively. When the fabric is pressed-off it is pulled into the shape shown in FIG. 6B. The fabric shown in FIG. 6A cam easily be produced in conjunction with the fabric shown in FIG/1A. The same yarn components and feeds can be used. Only the traverse of feeds F or F and that of F 8 needs to be varied.

With reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B the basic pattern is a l X 1 double warp fabric (feeds F to F and F to F whose edge wales Wyand W are interconnected by feeds F and F which traverse across the intermediate wales W to W.,. The yarn bulk is varied by altering the number of component threads in each feed to give a bulk distribution similar to that of FIG. 1. The resulting fabric has a rounded appearance.

Part of the knitting head of a warp knitting machine suitable for making the previously described fabrics is shown in FIG. 8. The machine is a single needle bar 5 and 6 gauge crochet knitting machine type special k made by Kohler & Co. A. G.

The knitting head of the knitting machine comprises a set of latch needles 2 mounted on a needle bed 4 by means of a needle base 6 and a cover plate 8 which clamp the needles between them. The needle bed 6 is adapted to move to and fro in the direction of arrow A. The needles 2 after emerging from the needle bed 4 pass through individual needle tricks 10 formed in a knock-over bar 12 supported by an assembly frame 14 which is rigidly mounted. A fabric retaining rail 16 is mounted to face the front of the knock-over bar 12 and extends to a position near the needles 2. A latch band l8 for opening the latches of the needles 2 is mounted at position spaced from the knock-over bar. Guides 20 for supplying the yarn to be knitted with guide holes 21 are mounted in two sets on guide mounting or warp bars 22 and 23, one bar for each set. The guides are adapted by movement in the direction of arrow B to place the yarn supplying as shown by arrow C in the hooks of the needles 2. The guide mounting bars 22 and 23 are individually controlled to traverse the guides in the direction of arrows D. Positioned approximately above the knock-over bar 12 are a pair of weft bars 24 and 25 on which are mounted by clamping yarn guide inserts 26a and b, and 27a to f respectively. The

inserts have yarn, supplied from the direction of arrow E and the bars 24 and 25 are individually and optionally traversable in the direction of arrow F to insert a weft thread or inlaid laps. Individual needles are marked W, to W A number of grouped knitting instruments as previously described are placed across: the full width of the needle bar of the knitting machine. Underneath the knitting head is mounted a number of take-off rollers for removing the newly knitted fabric under a substantially constant tension.

By way of example the manufacture of a narrow fabric shown in FIG. 5A, is described. Yarn is supplied to nine guides 20 on the bar 23 which is traversed in the pattern shown in solid lines in FIG. 5C to give a l X 1 plain warp knitted fabric. The yarn traversing between the needles W and W is of a smaller count than the remainder of the yarns supplied to the nine guides. One elastomericthread is supplied to a guide 20 on the bar 22 which is traversed in thepattern shown in solid lines in FIG. 5D. The guide 20 on the bar 22 is traversed underneath the guide 20 on the bar 23. The elastomeric thread is stretchedconsiderably while so doing. The inserts 27a to 27f are placed on the weft bar 25 which is held stationary to extend between adjacent needles W and W W and W W and W W and W W and W and W and W The inserts 26 a and 26b are placed on the weft bar 24 which is traversed as shown in the dotted lines in FIG. 5D, the outlet of the inserts 26a and b being above the level ofthe needles.

Thus between needles W, and W and W and W; a flat densely knitted fabric is formed, with the elastomeric yarn stretched between the needles W and W After knock-over, the fabric passes down between the knock-over bar 12 and the fabric retaining rail 16. As the fabric emerges from the knitting head, it is initially doubled by folding it across the thin zone formed between the needles W and W and passed between the take-off rollers. The fabric emerging subsequently is automatically doubled in this way and held in position by the contracted elastomeric thread. The other fabrics previously discussed can be manufactured on a similar machine in a wholly analogous manner. Gut threads can be introduced using a stationary insert.-

The knitting speed can be increased when using lighter yarns and the stitch density can be controlled through the take-up speed. In so doing care should be taken to maintain the take-up speed at a level sufficient for knitting to proceed but low enough to avoid undue elongation of the loops formed by the needles.

What we claim is:

1. Warp knitted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops, held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely extending portions of the first yarns; and a contracted second yarn joined by knitting about the first yarns with a pair of the wales spaced apart by at least two others of the wales held between the pair by the transversely extending portions of the first yarns, which second yarn has portions extending transversely past the other wales between the pair of wales and urges the pair of wales against one another, bends the fabric longitudinally across the other wales between the pair of wales and locates the longitudinal edges of the fabric in close mutual proximity.

2. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.

3. Fabric asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.

4. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarn.

5. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transversely extending portions of each of the first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.

6. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.

7. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.

8. Fabric as claimed in claim 1, which includes a gut thread extending longitudinally over the transversely extending portions of the first yarns and under the transversely extending portions of the second yarn.

9. Warp knit-ted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely extending portions of the first yarns; a contracted second yarn joined by knitting about the first yarns with a pair of the wales at the edges of the fabric, the pair of wales being spaced apart from the remaining wales held between the pair by'two transversely extending portions of the first yarns; second yarn portions extending past the remaining wales and urging the pair of wales against one another and the fabric being bent longitudinally across the remaining wales.

10. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which has a rounded transverse section with the wales being arranged annularly around a central longitudinal aperture.

11. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the remaining wales are of increased bulk compared with the pair of wales intertwined with the second yarn.

12. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.

13. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.

14. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarns.

15. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the transversely extending portions of each of the first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.

16. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.

17. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.

18. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes a gut thread extending longitudinally over the transversely extending portions of the first yarns and under the transversely extending portions of the second yarn.

l9. Warp knitted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely versely extending portions of the first yarns and the decreased bulk zone; second yarn portions extending past the other wales between the pair of wales, urging the pair of wales against one another, the fabric being folded longitudinally across the decreased bulk zone and the longitudinal edges being in close proximity.

20. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which has six wales and has a decreased bulk zone between the third and fourth wale' from the longitudinal edges.

21. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which has eight wales and has a decreased bulk zone between the fourth and fifth Wale from the longitudinal edges.

22. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the reduced bulk zone isformed between adjacent wales by transversely extending portions of a first yarn having a reduced thickness compared with the other first yarns.

23. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the reduced bulk zone is formed by providing an inlaid weft yarn traversed across groups of the wales on either side of the reduced bulk zone but not across the zone itself.

24. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the number of wales is even, the-decreased bulk zone is formed between the pair of wales in the middle of the fabric, and the second yarn portions extend between wales equally spaced from the pair of wales in the middle of the fabric.

25. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.

26. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.

27. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarns.

28. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the transversely extending portions of each of the first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.

29. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.

30. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.

31. A lace of a narrow width of warp knitted fabric comprising a first plurality of wales having an inlaid weft yarn traversed across the wales, a second plurality of wales having a further inlaid weft yarn traversed across the second plurality of wales, a yarn interconnecting first adjacent wales at the side of the first and balanced lace. 

1. Warp knitted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops, held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely extending portions of the first yarns; and a contracted second yarn joined by knitting about the first yarns with a pair of the wales spaced apart by at least two others of the wales held between the pair by the transversely extending portions of the first yarns, which second yarn has portions extending transversely past the other wales between the pair of wales and urges the pair of wales against one another, bends the fabric longitudinally across the other wales between the pair of wales and locates the longitudinal edges of the fabric in close mutual proximity.
 2. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.
 3. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.
 4. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarn.
 5. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transversely extending portions of each of The first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.
 6. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.
 7. Fabric as claimed in claim 1 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.
 8. Fabric as claimed in claim 1, which includes a gut thread extending longitudinally over the transversely extending portions of the first yarns and under the transversely extending portions of the second yarn.
 9. Warp knitted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely extending portions of the first yarns; a contracted second yarn joined by knitting about the first yarns with a pair of the wales at the edges of the fabric, the pair of wales being spaced apart from the remaining wales held between the pair by two transversely extending portions of the first yarns; second yarn portions extending past the remaining wales and urging the pair of wales against one another and the fabric being bent longitudinally across the remaining wales.
 10. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which has a rounded transverse section with the wales being arranged annularly around a central longitudinal aperture.
 11. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the remaining wales are of increased bulk compared with the pair of wales intertwined with the second yarn.
 12. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.
 13. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.
 14. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarns.
 15. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 in which the transversely extending portions of each of the first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.
 16. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.
 17. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.
 18. Fabric as claimed in claim 9 which includes a gut thread extending longitudinally over the transversely extending portions of the first yarns and under the transversely extending portions of the second yarn.
 19. Warp knitted fabric including first yarns; at least 4 wales formed by the first yarns of lengthwise extending rows of loops held in a side-by-side relationship between longitudinal edges of the fabric by transversely extending portions of the first yarns; a longitudinally extending zone of decreased bulk compared with fabric portions on either side of the zone formed between the wales to enable the portions to be folded together; a contracted second yarn joined by knitting about the first yarns with a pair of the wales spaced apart by at least two other wales held between the pair by transversely extending portions of the first yarns and the decreased bulk zone; second yarn portions extending past the other wales between the pair of wales, urging the pair of wales against one another, the fabric being folded longitudinally across the decreased bulk zone and the longitudinal edges being in close proximity.
 20. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which has six wales and has a decreased bulk zone between the third and fourth wale from the longitudinal edges.
 21. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which has eight wales and has a decreased bulk zone between the fourth and fifth wale from the longitudinal edges.
 22. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the reduced bulk zone is formed between adjacent wales by transversely extending portions of a first yarn having a reduced thickness compared with the other first yarns.
 23. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the reduced bulk zone is formed by providing an inlaid weft yarn traversed across groups of the wales on either side of the reduced bulk zone but not across the zone itself.
 24. FabriC as claimed in claim 19 in which the number of wales is even, the decreased bulk zone is formed between the pair of wales in the middle of the fabric, and the second yarn portions extend between wales equally spaced from the pair of wales in the middle of the fabric.
 25. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the second yarn is a crimped thermoplastic yarn.
 26. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the second yarn is an elastomeric yarn.
 27. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the first yarns are crimped thermoplastic yarns.
 28. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 in which the transversely extending portions of each of the first yarns interconnect pairs of adjacent wales only.
 29. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which includes at least one inlaid yarn having portions extending transversely across the wales.
 30. Fabric as claimed in claim 19 which includes warps extending lengthwise along the wales.
 31. A lace of a narrow width of warp knitted fabric comprising a first plurality of wales having an inlaid weft yarn traversed across the wales, a second plurality of wales having a further inlaid weft yarn traversed across the second plurality of wales, a yarn interconnecting first adjacent wales at the side of the first and second plurality of wales and an elastomer yarn interconnecting further wales spaced from the wales on the side of the first and second plurality of wales to fold the first and second plurality together so as to form a flat, balanced lace. 